Beijing – 2008

In recent years, the Art World has increasingly assumed a prominent role in public life. However it is in danger of exhaustion, over-commercialization, and redundancy. A proliferation of international art exhibitions and biennials continues to contribute to the general malaise leaving even the most passionate art figures wondering which exhibitions are truly worth the time and money to experience. Does the world need yet another blockbuster exhibition? Indeed, why create the Beijing Project at all? The answer is simple: the city of Beijing. One of the world’s most vibrant and inspiring cities, this unique human achievement will re-invigorate the Art World by providing a new global stage. As China’s capital city, Beijing stands at the intersection of a rich historical tradition and a passion for innovation and achievement. The Beijing Project, partnered with the Summer Olympic Games 2008, will entertain and educate millions of visitors about international and Chinese styles of art. Matching other successful international biennials in budget, quality, and scope, The Beijing Axis Line Project will exceed them in its innovation of design. This unique exhibition will combine athletics, visual art, music, and performance into a single, citywide event. Twenty-six artists, some with international reputations, will create site-specific artworks on an impressive scale. One of the enduring legacies of The Beijing Project will be to nurture artists of the future with the efforts of the present.

The Beijing Project can be called an unprecedented artistic vision. It connects reputed artists’ passion of creation together with the ancient cultural capital city of Beijing in a mode of art in public space, composing double dialogues: one is between Chinese and international artists; the other is between ancient cultural city and contemporary art creation. The rich historical traditions of Beijing will give the inspiration for the artists to create artworks, and then the fantastic art creation will bring new aesthetic feelings on the city. If we say that, “People’s Olympics” is the cultural construction which draws the world attention for Beijing 2008, then I believe that this Beijing Project will provide a unique visual feast in new innovation of design for “People’s Olympics”.